TJ Sajan is known in the industry by only one thing more than being a great guy … by being the appliance guy. Forget the fact that he is among the top appliance suppliers to the builders in the Metro Vancouver, forget the fact that he works for Trail (one of the most reputable appliance companies in Canada), and forget that he has the respect of virtually everyone I know in the industry. Remember that he commands this respect because he truly cares about people. Not just his customers or his business associates but more importantly the people he calls his friends and his family. I had the privilege of coming into his home to meet his family and photograph his beautiful house (this issues Modern rating A+). So I took the opportunity to pick his brains about the industry.

How many years have you been with Trail Appliances? I asked TJ. ‘Seven years, and in this industry you work 10 hours a day.’ he replied.

Why is the industry so busy right now? I inquired and received a quick … ‘Geographically Vancouver is one of the top destinations to live in globally. Right now we are witnessing low supply and high demand paired with very good interest rates and it is resulting in what we are seeing now.’ Then I got an interesting answer to a very different question. What are the Pros and Cons of working with the Property Developers for appliances versus the homeowner buying direct from Trail? Do my readers see any advantage one way or the other?

‘When we work with developers we try to put together a kitchen appliance package that will appeal to the end user of that demographic. When we deal with the homeowners directly we are able to better customize their package specifically for their needs and wants.’

And where do you see the industry going in the years to come with regards to appliances? Ie: there are now computerized fridges that you can see what’s inside via your smart phone while you are grocery shopping. TJ informed me that the appliance industry has seen massive change in the past 10 years. ‘Anything is possible in the future and I would not be surprised to see computers and the internet being more integrated with future appliances.’ What type of appliance is new and really selling? He said that the combination convection and steam ovens are all the rage.

My short amount of time that we had came to an end but I got a chance to ask one more question … What should our readers keep in mind when going to purchase appliance? TJ’s response was clear ‘Whether you’re building or renovating your dream kitchen always keep your budget in mind and know that it is possible to reach your vision within your budget if you are flexible.’